


Inked

by MindtheGap



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Bets, Getting Together, M/M, Tattoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-28 04:56:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19386943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MindtheGap/pseuds/MindtheGap
Summary: Flower was getting drafted and things needed to remain the same even in all the ways they were changing. He shouldn't have taken the bet or better yet he should have won the bet. But he didn't and now he's in the middle of nowhere Pittsburgh in a g-string talking to a tattoo artist.





	Inked

“Hold it together, Jen.” Sidney whispers out of the side of his mouth. His media face barely holding together as the Vegas Golden Knights announce their drafting of Flower. His Flower. His best friend on the team. The one who helps break his mood when he gets a bit too into hockey mode and frequently drops either Estelle or Scarlett in his arms to cool him down. 

They knew it was coming. They were lucky they had this long and were able to watch Flower light it up in between the pipes to help them make it to lift the Cup in back to back years. 

Sidney strokes the rim of the Cup as he thinks about how Flower was robbed of the Con Smythe a few weeks earlier. He allows his fingers to glide over the ridges of the bowl and reminds himself to breathe and keep a blank face. If there were any other moment to muster every ounce of media training, it was this. The cameras hungry for any ounce of emotion from him about watching Marc stand awkwardly in that jersey. 

The wrong colors.

Finally Jen, still teary eyed and red cheeked, pushes at his side urging him and Haggy to head towards the back of the stage. They had promised Flower they would meet him back there. Vero was with the girls who barely understood what was happening between the Cup celebrations and then really understanding what it would mean to move cross country. Estelle had clung to Sidney’s leg every chance she had.   
Sidney was not complaining. He was still unsure how the room let alone he would work without the Fleurys around. 

“ _Oncle_ Sid!” He has only a moment to brace himself and the cup before both Estelle and Scarlett crash into him. Carl takes the Cup from him so he can better kneel and hug the girls. They’re both wearing Vegas jerseys and the hat on Scarlett’s head has dropped to cover her eyes. Sidney chuckles as he lifts the lid a bit so he can make eye contact with Scarlett. Both girls are red eyed and there’s a little snot coming out of Scarlett as they both sniffle.

“We don’t want not see you again!” Estelle says through a hard hiccup. Sidney smiles softly, mindful of the few minutes before the media would be on them again. 

“We will call whenever possible. You’re never going to get rid of me.” Estelle’s nostrils flare as she looks at him with her eyes so much like Flower’s. Vero slides her hand down to grab one of each of her girls’ while making soft noises of comfort. The girls step aside as the doors open and the room is filled with media.

Sidney rights himself as Jen and Carl stand next to him. He scans the crowd for Flower, but only sees the guys and their families who had been drafted beforehand.   
Somebody calls his name followed but a louder raucous as people realized he is present and the Cup is with him. 

He slides through the media as Jen ushers him towards the designated interview area. As he moves through the curtain he runs into Flower. Flower who’s smile shifts from forced to relieved as he quickly embraces Sidney. 

“ _How you do this day in and out I will never understand._ ” Flower rushes out quickly in French. Sidney pats his back encouragingly.

“ _Go with the girls. We to dinner after?_ ” He murmurs in broken French, knowing his flub will give Flower a moment more before he needs to go back and be the unofficial Captain and face of this new franchise.

**  
“I need fresh air.” Flower grouses as he pushes away from the table. He unconsciously brushes his hand down Vero’s back reassuringly as he jerks his head towards the door while looking at Sidney. Sidney quickly excuses himself and starts to head towards the balcony of the restaurant. 

Vegas is bright. It has a reputation for never sleeping, stealing money and friends. Alright, maybe not known for stealing friends, but Sidney is not pleased with Flower   
being drafted. Even if Flower had started the dissolution process with the team the moment they had lifted the Cup in San Jose. A full year. So much more time than they had expected.

They stand outside quietly for a few moments taking in the sights. Their friendship did not always need words. Sidney wasn’t as good at communicating without words with Flower as he is with Geno, but it’s a close second. The tension rolling off Flower is immense, almost like the day of the trade deadline when nobody knew if he would be wearing different colors the next day. 

“You know, I’m always a phone call or text away, right?” Flower jerks his head without taking his eyes from the horizon.

“Nothing is changing, but everything is changed. You know?” Flower chuckles derisively and shoves his hands in his pockets while kicking at the balcony wall. 

“It will be fine. You know and have played with a bunch of these guys already.” Flower sneers.

“Fucking Neal.” 

“Yeah, James is here too. He couldn’t have known he would give you that concussion, Marc.” Sidney raises his eyebrow in response to Flower’s side glare. “Its always easier to be angry, but is that going to help this team? You’re the franchise face now. It’s intimidating and horrible in a lot of ways, but you get to do so much for the sport here. I’m always in your corner to help whenever you need it. I know exactly what its like. We won’t lose each other.” Flower inhales deeply before turning to lean his back against balcony wall in order to change his view from the Vegas lights to Sidney.

“Make a bet with me.” Sidney chuckles and shakes his head. Flower leans forward and puts his hand out in offering. “We only play each other twice a season now. Bet me that you will score on me in my first season with Vegas. I know you won’t. I know all your tricks.” A ghost of Flower’s mercurial smile peeks through and Sidney can’t help but buy in.

“Alright, if I score on you, you have to change your number for the second season.” Flower looks at him aghast and barks out a laugh. 

“Playing dirty?” Flower’s grin is infectious and Sidney can feel his cheeks spreading to match him. “You don’t score on me and you get a tattoo, my choice of what and where.” Sidney’s smile shutters and he hesitates inches from shake Flower’s hand. “You have veto power, but you can only use it twice. Once on where and once on what. I won’t make it too bad.” Sidney sighs and then clasps Flower’s hand in a firm shake.

“Same old, Flower.”

“Pleasure doing business with you, _Mon Capitane_.” Flower grins.

**December 14, 2017**

“One more chance,” Flower grins as he pulls Sidney into a tight hug. Sidney grumbles and glares over at Ian sitting back and spinning the puck he had scored on Flower with.

Geno was watching Ian with a furrow to his brow. He turned to Flower and Sidney with a grin.

“I score on you, Flower. Just wait. Big celly. Keep puck, right at top of puck pile.” Flower laughs as Geno reaches behind Olli’s back to slap at Flower’s shoulder. “Most weird not have you in room.” Flower smiles small and looks away from Geno. Sidney knows what a concussion looks like. He knows Flower was out for a long time and Sidney can see Geno assessing just as closely. Making sure that Flower was really ready to come back. That he wasn’t forced back into the game just for the idea of a   
Fleury vs Murray storyline. 

Fuck Vegas being hungry for so many story lines. Especially if they were willing to risk Flower’s health.

Flower squeezed his arm around Sidney’s shoulder. “I’m fine. No symptoms. This was bad, but not like yours.” Sidney nods as Flower levels him with a serious gaze. Once he was satisfied with whatever look he read on Sidney’s face, Flower leaned forward and started to ask eager questions about the team. As if they weren’t texting constantly.

**February 6, 2018**

Sidney felt Geno lean into his space as they all turned their eyes up to the jumbotron. It was a good song and the clips were classic Flower. PPG shook in its foundation from the noise the crowd made. They loved Flower. They missed him, maybe not as much as the team did, but he had earned his place in the rafters over head-one day. 

“Sid,” Geno coughs and looks back at the refs. Sidney could see that they were trying to start the game again, but the crowd wasn’t ready to sit back down. Sidney glanced over at Muzz who was scuffling in his crease and pushed off the boards to make his way towards his goalie. He slowed as he circled by and tapped Muzz’s pads. Sidney could see Geno nodding from the bench as he watched Sidney.

“How you doing?” Sidney asks quietly. Muzz shrugs and smiles.

“He deserves this and more. I’m happy for him.” Sidney nods and then heads back towards the bench and the arena is forced to settle down as the puck is dropped.

“ _Oncle Sid_!” Sidney kneels to lift Estelle into his arms and rest her on his hip. Glad he had foregone his suit jacket before heading towards the parking lot. 

“Hello, poppet.” Sidney grins as Estelle wraps her arms around his neck. 

“Miss you!” She proclaims before planting a wet kiss to his cheek. 

“What! No kiss for favorite Russian uncle?” Sidney chuckles as Estelle burrows further into Sidney’s arms and giggles. Geno advances on them with mock hurt and reaches out to tickle at Estelle’s side. 

“No!” Estelle giggles before turning and sliding her arms around his neck to pull Geno down to Sidney and her level. “Miss you too, _Oncle_ G.” Geno slips an arm around Sidney’s shoulder as Estelle makes herself comfortable hanging between the two of them. “ _Oncle_ G, did you see that _Oncle_ Sid didn’t score on Papa?” Geno grins at Sidney who rolls his eye as Geno lets out a low chuckle.

“I did see. Your papa play best tonight.” Estelle nods knowingly.

“Papa is best.” Estelle glances at Sidney before lifting a hand to cover her mouth as she leans towards Geno’s ear. “Papa told me to be nice to _Oncle_ Sid if not score. He lost a bet.” Geno glances up at Sidney in shock.

“You bet Flower on hockey?” Sidney shrugs as Estelle shimmies her way out of Sidney’s grasp and rushes towards Tanger. Sidney shrugs again as Geno pulls back to watch carefully. Sidney rolls his eyes.

“It was a stupid bet. I didn’t score on him and I have to pay up.” Sidney wants to ignore the way Geno’s eyes light up, but he always looks amazing when he’s so happy.

“What bet you?” Geno asks and Sidney shrugs.

“Nothing bad. Don’t worry bout it, G.” Sidney smiles and slides away from Geno, trying his best to ignore the feeling of Geno’s eyes on him as he walks towards Flower.

“Ah, my favorite Captain who hasn’t score on me!” Flower crows far too happily for somebody who lost. He throws his arm around Sidney’s shoulder and grins lovingly at him. Sidney knows better to than to trust that look. But if he turns, he will be faced with a pout from Geno and there is no winning in that scenario.”My love, Sid and I have plans tonight but we will be back later! Go relax at home with the girls!” Flower presses a loud kiss to Vero’s lips and grins as she rolls her eyes at him.

“I’m so sorry, Sid.” Vero chimes as Flower pulls Sidney away from the group.

They drive out to a tattoo artist that Flower had made an appointment with before. Somebody that some of their past teammates had recommended when Flower asked after the game in December. Everybdoy had teased him about getting a Penguin tattoo and Flower had played along going with more and more outrageous.   
Sidney sighed as they were met by Donte who grinned between them. 

“Thanks for staying so late.” Sidney starts, ever the polite man. 

“Not a problem. I couldn’t miss the chance to tattoo both of you.” Sidney jerks his head in Flower’s direction and he smiles with a shrug while unbuttoning his top.

“Now, I understand the NDAs. We specialize in keeping our customer’s happy and not revealing what we’ve put where or on who. Some people are kind enough to let us take pictures for our portfolio and others will create aliases to leave reviews. Anything is appreciated if you like what you get.” Donte grins through his explanation while leading them back to two reclining chairs. “Make yourselves comfortable. And Mr. Fleury said we were starting with you, Mr. Crosby.” Sidney shrugged and sat on the chair while watching Flower with a wary gaze.

“Alright, what have you got for me, Marc. Remember-“ 

“One veto on where and one on what.” Flower interrupts with a mocking tone. “Like I wouldn’t know my own bet.” He pulls out a large piece of paper and walks over to Sidney. Lifting Sidney’s right arm, he places the image along his ribs. Sidney pulls back when he sees that the image is a picture of Flower lifting the cup tastefully done with layers of their teammates’ names in the background. Sidney shakes his head and looks at Flower with a judgemental gaze.

“Sid, you would keep me with you always!” Sidney doesn’t stop staring at Flower who rolls his eyes with an exaggerated sigh. “Fine, don’t love me like that. Veto on place and image?” Sidney hesitates for a moment but nods. Flower nods than reaches for Sidney’s belt. 

“Hey there, bud, what you doing?” Sidney grabs Flower’s hand with a befuddled expression.

“Well next one is in a more delicate place.” Sidney jumps to his feet and backs away from Flower and Donte.

“You are not tattooing my dick or balls, Flower.” Flower stops and stares at Sidney before folding in on himself and laughing full bodily.

Donte looks at Sidney and shrugs, then holds out a small paper. “Mr. Fleury already told me you would be getting this word on your inner thigh. I get you’re a private man, Mr. Crosby so it makes total sense to keep it somewhere private.” Sidney glances back at Flower speculatively and is met with a smile that he knows not to trust. 

“I do need you to take off your pants, Mr. Crosby. If you can get the leg of your briefs or boxers up to your hip that would be best in order to prep the area, but if not,” Donte motions to Flower who holds up a bright red male g-string. Sidney groans and grabs the g-string from Flower and points at him sternly.

“Not a word, not a picture, not a video. You got that, Marc?” Flower nods and wiggles happily as Sidney walks to the curtained off area to change his underwear.   
When he returns Donte has prepped both seating areas and is bent over a design he is discussing and making altercations on with Flower. As Sidney approaches, Flower and Donte look up. Sidney watches Flower bite his lip, but cannot stop the glimmer of mischief in his eye as he takes in Sidney’s lack of clothing.

“Canada would be proud.” Flower lets out between fits of giggles.

“Oh shut up.” Sidney rolls his eyes then sits on the seat. Donte taps his right thigh and asks Sidney to move into a more accessible position.

With his right leg stretched on the chair, his left dangling off, Sidney feels slightly uncomfortable with how much of his lower body is on display. Especially as Donte pulls the tattoo tray closer. Flower hovers just off to the side and watches happily as Donte pulls out the small slip of paper. He shows it to Sidney for approval and Sidney feels his breath hitch. He looks up at Flower with hurt and confusion and knows that Flower isn’t doing this to hurt him. With a deep sigh, Sidney nods his head while keeping eye contact with Flower.

Donte leans forward and places the paper to Sidney’s inner thigh, three fingers down from the crease and enough space that his jock wouldn’t irritate it. He pulls the paper back to leave a tracing in a slightly sloppy handwriting of somebody who has written the word over and over in their lifetime that they can do so lazily and in their sleep. 

With a nod of approval, Donte picks up the gun and moves into Sidney’s space again. Sidney leans back with a sigh and tries not to tense too badly as Donte works. 

An hour later, Donte smiles up at Sidney as he finishes taping up the plastic wrap over the sensitive area. He provides some instructions on after care and asks for Sidney to sit and not put his pants back on for a few more minutes to let the area have time to breathe. Donte then leads Flower over to the other chair and starts to discuss the tattoo that Flower had chosen. 

Sidney reaches down and tenderly touches the outside of the tattooed skin with a shaky breath. In dark blank ink, it almost looks like somebody had written on him with a sharpie. But Sidney stares at the Cyrillic script etched into his skin and finds it hard to swallow around the emotion in his throat. He closes his eyes and leaves his hand barely touching the word. He doesn’t want to know how this will be explained should it get out. 

When he looks back up, Donte is leaning over Flower’s ribs and slowly working while Flower stares at him with concern.

“I went too far?” Flower questions after they’ve been driving in silence for 30 minutes. Sidney shakes his head.

“He won’t know. He can’t know. But,” Sidney hesitates before he breathes heavily. “Lets just leave it there, ok, bud?” Flower nods and worries at his lower lip for the remainder of the drive.

It’s a few weeks later before anybody catches on that Sidney is pulling longer and longer shifts during practice, staying later on the ice and making sure that he is the last to shower and the last to be getting dressed in the room. He enjoys the fact that he can care for the tattoo in private. Knowing he needs to apply the goo after practice and make sure the ink hasn’t started to bleed away. 

He’s taken to tracing the letters in almost a soothing way, can feel the raise in his skin as it still scabs over. He’s tracing the letters now as he applies the goo post shower and doesn’t realize when he is no longer alone.

“Sex in locker room still fine even masturbation, Sid.” Geno jokes as he leans against the door. Sidney looks up in horror and slams his thighs together. He can feel the blood draining from his face. It takes a moment for Geno to realize that his joke wasn’t fully a joke and he drops his shoulder from his lean against the door frame. 

He’s slowly making his way towards Sidney with a confused look on his face, he glances at the tube of tattoo goo next to Sidney on the bench then back at Sidney’s thigh before looking up to make eye contact.

“Sid? This bet with Flower?” Geno asks gingerly as he reaches out and picks up the bottle. “He make you get tattoo?” Geno looks back at Sidney perplexed. 

“Yeah, but it’s ok, nobody will ever see it.” Geno purses his face and shakes his head.

“No, Sid. Not cool. Not good bet. What you get?” Geno crouches down and Sidney has only a moment to be grateful that his boxers are covering his dick that is suddenly very interested in having Geno so close. He thinks hard of dirty jocks and watching Detroit lift the Cup in ’08, but it does little to help the electric feel as Geno touches his thighs. His huge hands pressing gently to pry them apart and in an instant, Sidney knows he will never be able to look at Geno the same way again. 

Better yet, he refuses to look at Geno and focuses on a spot on the ceiling and waits for whatever entity could strike him down in this moment to do so.

“Sid, what you do?” Geno whispers and Sidney isn’t sure what emotion to take with the tone, but he jumps off the bench when he feels Geno’s fingers brush along the tattoo. “Is me? Mine?” Sidney focuses on breathing through his nose as Geno continues to stroke at Sidney’s tattoo. He knows he’s hardening and he has nowhere to run with Geno in between his thighs. 

“G, it was a bad bet. I’m sorry, but I-“ Sidney pauses as he feels Geno’s fingers press firmly into the tattoo. He looks down and meets Geno’s searching gaze. Whatever Geno sees, Sidney is clueless because the next instant Sidney is being pulled into a fierce kiss. 

Sidney reaches his hands up to grab onto Geno’s shoulders and groans as Geno bites at his lower lip. There’s a gasp, and Sidney isn’t sure who did it, but then Geno’s tongue is sliding into his mouth and Sidney whimpers as Geno kisses him. His hand not on Sidney’s tattoo coming up to cradle Sidney’s jaw. Geno pulls away, his lips glistening with spit and kiss bruise red, his pupils dilated as he stares back at Sidney, huffing as his tongue slips out to brush over his lower lip. 

“Is ok?” Sidney blinks at Geno not sure what he is asking. Geno glances at Sidney’s lips and presses his thumb to the tattoo. “You like? Is my name, make you mine?” Geno huffs again as he looks searchingly between Sidney’s eyes.

“Yeah, G, yeah, I like you.” Geno whimpers before pressing himself forward to kiss Sidney briefly before pulling back and smiling at the whine Sidney lets out. 

“Good. Best on ice. Best together. I’m love you so long, not think maybe happen.” Sidney gulps but then presses forward and pushes Geno to the floor of the locker room with a determined kiss. 

When he pulls back again, Sidney glances between Geno and the showers and watches and Geno’s smile widens. He slaps Sidney’s bare hip and bucks his own hips under Sidney’s.

“Go, go. Shower sex not fine!” Geno urges as he quickly chases Sidney into the showers, both of them giggling. 

**

**Interview:** Hockey players are known for having tattoos, do either of you have any hidden ones?

**Sidney:** No, no tattoos for us.

**Geno:** Yes, Sid have Evgeni written him. One day I get his wedding ring tattoo so never take off. You know? Like Holtby. Good idea even if Capital.

**Author's Note:**

> I fully blame you for this. You know exactly who you are. The plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone.


End file.
